


The Experiment of Ink

by Yubnub



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Anger, BendyLand, Developing Relationship, Evil Joey Drew, F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships, Ink, Joey Drew Studios, Machines, Minor Harassment cause Joey's an ass, Murder, revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-09-30 01:47:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 11,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yubnub/pseuds/Yubnub
Summary: Bertrum feels infuriated by Joey's reference to him as Bertie and records his anger. He is called to Joey's office to a private meeting. Who knows what will happen in there?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story. I would appreciate any and all feedback, especially constructive criticism. I hope you enjoy this little project of mine. Happy readings!

IN FORM OF RECORDING  
“Bertie?”  
“Bertie.”  
“BERTIE!?!”  
“He dares to refer to me, The Great Bertrum Piedmont as Bertie. Like some child?! No! This has gone too long! If he wont show me the simple decent respect of using my name, why should I continue to build his park? I’ll finish this ride and then i’ll take my leave. It would be a shame for it to go to waste. It is a masterpiece. A four legged, merry-go-round style ride with four seats able to spin, go up and down and back and forth. My eyes water to think of it. This will be the centerpiece. The crown on my empire of entertainment. However, that leaves one thing here: Lacie, my mechanic, who i must say I've grown rather fond of. She actually helps maintain the device unlike my other assistants in the past. She gives her personal opinion on how to help my creations grow and evolve. I might just ask her to join me in my absence. Who knows? Who Knows?”

END OF RECORDING

Bertrum Piedmont slouched back in his uncomfortable office chair and gazed up at the creation he had poured his heart and soul into. He spared a glance at the recorder he used it’s a silly habit he had,to record his progress and life. His miserable, degrading, and lonely life. Maybe he’ll make a book. “The Man Behind Bendy land” perhaps. More likely, however, he’d call it “ The Crooked Crown”. Bertrum sighed at his desk and his old designs for rides. There were coasters, mini games bumper cars, ink slides, and more.  
“Mr Bertrum Piedmont,” a voice blared on the speakers,” Please report to my office. I have an offer for you” The speakers went silent as Bertrum groaned loudly. “ What is it now Joey? Another deadline? A new incompetent klutz? A Raise. No he’s too cheap.What is it?” Bertrum got out of his chair, past his creation, out the door and to the stairs. Up a few floors he found Wally, the mediocre at best janitor,asleep leaning on his mop.  
“Wake up and deal with this mess, Wally!” Bertrum snapped referring to an inkblot on the floor. Wally awoke with a start and stumbled right into the blot and fell face first. “Thank you. Try to make sure you aren't behind the grind next time.” On his way to Joey’s office, Bertrum ran into essentially everyone. Norman, the projectionist nodded in his direction, Shawn Flynn greeted him as bubbly(and drunkenly) as he could get away with, Thomas was looking for some pipe to clean and fix,Allison, the local canary, greeted him warmly, and Sammy, the music director, just glared at Bertrum as he passed. However, Bertrum bumped into Lacie, which made his top hat fall off. Lacie got to it first and decided to play a game of keep away, using her tall stature to her advantage.  
“ Lacie, now is not the time for this dingy behavior.”  
“ Aw Bertie there’s no reason to blow your wig.”  
“How many times have i told you do not refer to me by the forbidden name!”  
“And what are you going to do about it?” she said teasingly  
Silence, then a defeated voice piped up.  
“... admittedly nothing”  
Raucous laughter rang through the hall as the beat Bertrum slumped as a hat was plopped upon his head.  
“ Good luck, Bertie.”  
He scowled but chuckled to himself while he thought no one could hear.  
He fixed his face into his usual emotion of anger when meeting with Mr Drew. He barged into his office. This is the day he would take his leave. 

Joey’s office was a place of limited grandeur. It was simply a desk, some portraits, two chairs, and a potted plant. Also the gigantic ink machine, hoisted by rusty chains. The thing was so big that an elevator was used to go to a platform overlooking it. And that’s where Joey was. He waved down, “ Hello! Up here my friend. C’mon up.”  
Bertrum rolled his eyes and got into an elevator and went to the top.  
“Well, Berti-er-Bertrum. We’ve worked together for awhile haven't we? So let’s get to know each other, shall we?”  
“Fine. My name is Bertrum Piedmont, and i prefer my conversations to get to the point quickly, sir” he replied curtly  
“Alright. Alright. So I have been experimenting with this machine a bit, you see. And i saw that i was having a problem. If you look down you’ll see what i mean.”  
Bertrum peered down the rail at the machine. It seemed like a giant cube with pipes and gears haphazardly slapped onto it, all connecting to a singular pump at one end. The top was open, revealing a vat of bubbling, pitch black, meandering ink. The park designer felt a sudden shove from behind that sent him tumbling over the side. In frenzied panic, Bertrum grabbed the edge of the platform and frantically tried pulling himself up.  
Joey looked down with a sneer at this man hanging for dear life.  
“The problem,Bertie, is that you disagreed with me on this business decision because of your own name.What’s more is that you wanted to dethrone me in my own game. The game of entertainment. Now goodbye my friend. Fear not, I will continue your dream with my image. Oh yeah one more thing.” Joey leaned in close.

“Long live the king” as Bertrum fell into the machine's open top with a resounding plop that echoed through the room.  
Joey calmly strolled down and came to the speakers and gave the news.

“ It is with a heavy heart that i say that Mr. Bertrum Piedmont has resigned unexpectedly. Construction in Bendyland shall be postponed until we find a replacement. Remember, even in these dark times, to work hard and work happy.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Bertrum doesn't come out of Joey's Office, and BendyLand is forbidden from unauthorized personnel. Lacie, however decides that she is authorized enough.

Lacie, although forbidden to, was determined to go to back to Bendyland, if only for nostalgic appeal. She convinced Joey to let her go down by telling him she heard the Buddy Boris train ride was creaking dangerously. “You wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to Bendyland would ya?”  
Joey gritted his teeth and gave her the OK. she rushed the park before he could change his mind. She descended down to the broken down park. She found the Buddy Boris train (perfectly uncreaky, by the way) but noticed something vital was missing: a start up switch.  
She strolled to the “geezer’s” (even though he was only 35) workplace and saw the spider ride. Bertrum’s final experiment.

“Well ain’t this a fine reunion. Been awhile since I've seen you, my partner’s old friend. It’s nice to see ya. Speaking of which, see ya.”

As she turned to walk away, something strange happened. The lights went out and the steel door leading to Bendy land sealed shut. A massive amount of ink spilled upon the electric box, Fizzling the lights within the whole studio. So Lacie was stuck in a sealed room with an old broken down ride with a door that would not budge, though Lacie tried. It was then that the machine did something even stranger.

The machine’s bottom lights lit up, followed by the lights on the arm’s, finished by the top lights. The center of the ride opened revealing glass to show… nothing. Just a swirling inky abyss. Slowly an image started to show within the glass. A face. A face that looked eerily familiar…

The creature let out a roar, however, the roar was not one to strike fear. It was one to show it’s own fear, sadness, anger, and general misery. It’s roar started to form letters, which in turn made one word: “ J-J-J-J-O-O-O-O-O-O-E-E-E-E-Y-Y-Y-Y!!!!!!!!” It screamed and thrashed about wildly, unsure of its surroundings and body along with what to do with that body. 

Lacie did the sensible thing and ran as fast as she could into a corner. Unfortunately it saw her and reacted accordingly. “ L-L-LAC-C-I-E?” it rasped,confused,scared, and in pain. Lacie paused in her panicked sprint and turned around. Both beings stood motionless, each studying the other’s face. Lacie seemed to catch on to what happened with the metal monstrosity facing her.

“Wait. Bertrum?”

Bertrum flailed to life, his ceaseless pain from his new prison of body. It lashing at his mind making him despise Joey even more. Memories of what had transpired days ago flooded back. In his mix of emotions, he screamed. However in his blind hate he saw a figure and assumed it was joey, standing there, just to taunt him. But then he saw the face.   
“Lacie?” he exclaimed. But of course his machine body distorted his voice to near unrecognizability. But she was scared as any would be around a monster like him. But she heard him and understood. She called out his name. She knew who he was.  
“Hold on big guy. Don’t move or talk until i say to, okay?” She grabbed a wrench and went to work.  
“ Now speak”  
“Lac-IE” it crackled.  
“Alright, stop stop STOP! Just don’t talk a little longer, K?”  
A few minutes pass,”Speak”  
“ Wherefore art thou kind to me?”  
“ I did not understand a word you just said. Again”  
Tweaks were made   
“ Speak”  
“Lacie.”  
“ Yes! You can talk normally. Now tell me what happened.”

“Last i remember, Joey happened. He called me up and tricked me. Threw me into the machine. I blacked out. Woke up here, yada yada yada. You know the rest.”

“So Joey threw you into the machine and imprisoned you in your own machine? That’s not right. He can’t get away with that!”  
“I know he shouldn’t. But he has. I heard voices in the machine. Others he threw in there. They told me what he was doing and what he did. He silences those who oppose him in any way.”  
The lights powered back on in some miraculous way. “ Go. Run. Hide before he finds you. Unless you want to end up in a Chicago overcoat you have to run!”  
“ But, what about you?”  
“I’ll be fine. He doesn’t quite know yet. But you need to run away. But if he finds out you will end up in my position. Trapped. Alone. Abandoned. GO! RUN!”   
“Fine but i will be back for you. I promise, Bertie!”  
As she left, Bertrum shut his center window saying, “ Please don’t” his sinking heart evident in his voice.”Ever”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note. Chicago overcoat means coffin


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacie is given a private audience with Joey.

Lacie!” cried Tom “ Lacie! Where are ya?”  
“Hey, ya down here?” yelled Shawn in his usual bombastic manner.  
“I’m here, alright? Over here.” Lacie’s voice trailed to the searcher’s ear. She emerged from the haunted house.  
“ Where have you been?” Tom inquired. “We’ve been searching for an hour”  
“Sorry, i was just making repairs in the house and got trapped there during the outage. Yeesh.”  
“ Sorry to put a damper on this happy reunion but Joey ain’t to happy with you.” Shawn butted in  
“ Thank you, Shawn. He is right though. Joey wouldn’t even let us leave till we found you.”  
“ Well now you found me, What are ya going to do with me?” Lacie sarcastically teased.  
“ Sadly Joey wants an audience with you.”  
“Oh boy. An audience with Joey Drew, the boss who can’t even send searchers before the day ended after a blackout. How wonderful.”  
“Hey I said i’m sorry. He just kinda kept us here when you didn’t come out when closing time.”  
“ Fine, just lead the way.”

Shawn and Tom led Lacie to the office of a murderer, but only one knew, seeds of thought would enter another head soon. Lacie gazed about in wide eyed worry when they couldn’t see her. But one thing she saw at the corner of the hall made her drop her facade and gasp in shock. She rushed ahead and grabbed the small black felt object. Bertrum’s hat.  
She choked on her following words. “Shawn could you do something for me?’”  
“Sure. Shoot lass”  
“Could you put this on my desk in R and D? Please?”  
“Of course.Tom you got this? I’ll be back in time for the drinks.”  
“You better cause you’re paying for em.”  
But Shawn was gone. Tom rolled his eyes and gave the distraught Lacie a pat on the shoulder.  
“ If you want, when you’re done, you could join me, Shawn, and Norman for drinks.”  
“Thanks but I’ll pass. I got thinking to do.”  
“Suit yourself.”  
They walked into the office where Joey was once again on his platform overlooking the machine. “Thank you Tom. You may go. Take Shawn with you.”  
“ Alright boss. See ya tomorrow.”  
“Goodbye Tom.”  
Tom took his leave of that place while giving Lacie a reassuring nod. Joey called down,"Come on up Lacie. I’m more at ease above my creation. Easier for me to speak openly and what not.”  
“With all do respect, sir, i prefer to keep my feet planted to the ground” Lacie regarded him coldly.  
“ Fine. Stay there” Joey took his own elevator down to the ground. “Now tell me what happened down there today. You were there for four hours. You didn’t even come up for closing time. What is the meaning of this?”  
“I’m telling ya, I just was making repairs to various parts of Bendyland for nostalgic reasons. I made repairs to Buddy Boris, some rides and games. But got trapped in the haunted house.”  
“So you got stuck in the haunted house, and you didn’t think of doing anything in there?”  
“Well I made repairs to the various carts and pipes and him…”  
“Him? Who’s ‘Him’?”  
Lacie’s eyes widened as her mind raced for an answer. “The.. uh.. Bendy Animatronic. Who else?”  
Joey’s eyes narrowed.  
“Hmm. Indeed. Say did anything strange happen down there?”  
“No, sir nothing at all.”  
He waved his hand in a dismissive motion as he simply said "leave". So she did. She ran from the studio, across the street onto the bus and all the way to her home trying to get as far away from that man. No, not man. Monster.

Joey waited on the elevator down to Bendyland, humming a chipper tune that he stole from Sammy. He reached the bottom, his beautiful amusement park. His. No one else’s. He walked straight past the strength test. Past bumper cars and coasters and games and the Buddy Boris. Right to the Spider. He stood at the open door, staring into the room. He clapped twice and called, “ Bertie?”  
The ride awoke, “JOEY DREW” it said, distorting it’s voice once more.  
“ Yes. Yes i am. Now onto the point. Did anyone come to see you today? I’m not mad. I’m not. I just want to know the truth.Like say, did any mechanics stop by at all?”  
Bertrum shook his head.  
“Really? Then how do you explain THIS?” Joey pointed to a wrench on the floor right in front of the machine. The park designer gestured one of his “arms” to point at the toolbox he had knocked over days ago.  
“Hmm. Fine but how about a small taste of what might happen if i found out you lied to me.”  
Joey grabbed a remote from his pocket and pushed a button. Instantly, Bertrum screamed in pain as electricity coursed through his inky veins.  
“ I hope for your sake you aren't”  
Joey turned and shut the door, smiling.  
“Until next time, my old partner”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am extremely happy that people are enjoying my work.  
> I hope that this chapter and the chapters to come continue to please you


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacie tries to figure out how to help Bertrum.  
> Meanwhile a conversation between Norman, Tom, and Shawn is had.  
> Maybe they should bring it up to Lacie at some point?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next one probably will be pretty short so sorry about that. Happy readings to all

Lacie made it home as quick as the bus would take her. She charged past the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, right up to her attic workshop. Upon her workshop table sat a little Buddy Boris steam train model, which was thrown unceremoniously to the ground. The mechanic rummaged through her drawer of past models until she came to the Spider. She then proceeded to take it apart, piece by piece, from bottom to top  
“ Alright so if this is the head and this is the arm…”  
She worked tirelessly and fruitlessly with the model, trying to find some way to the core.  
“No! No! No! This is all wrong! Why Bertrum?! Why did you seal it away so expertly?! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! I’m trying to help, Bertie! Why did you make it so difficult?!”  
So she worked and her frustration quickly turned to despair as she tried again and again and again.  
She heard somewhere that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something to change. But for now she didn’t care. Something had to work. It had too.

Meanwhile, at the Rusty Tankard, Shawn, Tom, and Norman sat a a booth, one tankard drained for Tom, several drained for Shawn, and none for Norman, as he was their ride home.  
“Ey, Norman, remember when i tried givin those Bendy dolls kegs-a beer?”  
“Oh yes I remember. You sure got an earful from Drew didn’t you?”  
Shawn chuckled slightly. “Yeah I remember that. Speakin of.. It feels a little strange how Bertrum didn’t Get one, huh? He just goes in, undoubtedly about that little road bump issue with ‘s name, and we don’t hear joey yell one bit!”  
A light bulb went up above Tom’s head, both literally and metaphorically, as the place had issues with the old lights.  
“Wait guys, I might have an idea.”  
“Yeah shoot.” Norman said politely as Shawn started drunkenly flirting with a bar stool and glaring at the plant that looked at him funny.  
“ Well, we all know Bertrum left after a falling out with Joey. Isn't it weird he didn’t ask Lacie to join him. We all know he had a certain,*ahem* soft spot for her. And what’s more is that almost everyone we know who worked there left without a falling out. Henry left because of Bendy ownership. Jack left because of unreasonable deadlines for the lyrics to Fun-house Funnies. Susie left because of the change in voice acting. Grant left because of the bad financial decisions for Bendyland. All of them had a falling out and all of them left.”  
Now even the drunken Shawn took a break from what he was doing and piped up,” So are you implying Joey’s a murderer? I think you’ve had too much to drink.”  
“Look who’s tellin who about drinking problems. Have you seen your booth seat. It is covered in empty beer kegs so don’t get on Tom's ass.” Norman barked back  
“ Both of you stop. So anyways this is pretty suspicious, right?”  
“We could talk to Lacie about it,” suggested Norman  
“And make her act weirder than she would. Thanks but no thanks.”  
“Shawn this is not a debate.”  
“Fine. tomorrow then?”  
“Yes”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chat is had and plan is made. But the rat will hear all, before he becomes the mockingbird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again this is gonna be short

When one is stressed,tired and afraid, sleep is not an easy thing to come by. Such is the case with Lacie, who got a grand total of… 3 hours sleep. Feeling groggy and slow, she went through her morning routine and even got to work after the previous day. A feat which sadly, only a certain murderer would have any chance of understanding. Ever wary and ever paranoid, she sat at her desk, littered with blueprints, as she gazed into the felt hat on her desk. That is until the trio came along.  
“Hey, Lacie. Do ya think we could talk with ya in private? It’s important.” asked an extremely serious Tom.  
Lacie rolled her eyes and shut her office door.  
“Well, spit it out already.” Lacie demanded. Tom and Norman explained the entire conversation they had at the bar while Shawn tried desperately to remember this conversation ( He is having an incredibly hard time due to his newfound hangover).  
“Well, thank god someone else thinks around here and it’s not just me and Bertrum with the ideas. I have something to show you three after work but only if you don’t tell anyone.”  
“Alright, we’re in. What time and place?” Norman confirmed  
“Behind the studio as soon as you can after work. Now go and look sullen so no one suspects a thing.”  
What none realize is that there is always a rat in the walls. One torn by work and duty. One who will do anything for a small raise. Sammy smiled as he heard this. He thought of all he would gain if he allowed his tongue to slip a little.  
He rushed to the office of his boss without being seen by the conspirators. He stepped in after knocking politely and gasped,” Mr.Drew I request an audience with you!”  
“What is it now, Sammy?” sighed drew sitting at his desk looking rather annoyed.  
Someone thought it would be a fine and dandy idea to spill the beans to Drew. Let the cat out of the bag, so to speak. Joey listened with intense interest and satisfaction. He did something he never did.   
He laughed.  
"Hohohohoho, Sammy, my boy, I knew i could count on you! For your hard work and loyalty I've decided to give you a reward. But first, your throat must be parched from this little speech of yours. Here.” Joey handed him a mug of black liquid. “Some fine black coffee. Just the way you said you liked it.”  
“Thank you sir.” Sammy took a long drink from the mug. But it tasted off, somehow. It made him feel tingly. And sleepy.  
“Hush now Sammy. You’ll get your reward.” And the world faded to black.

1 hour later, Sammy awoke feeling groggy. All he could see was the white blindfold that covered his eyes. He felt a constant dripping on his forehead.He tried to move, but couldn’t as he was strapped to an operating table.  
“Mr.Drew! What is this?!” Sammy panickedly screamed.  
“Shh. Sammy this is your reward. I’m so close to perfection. You might be the first one to become as perfect as I intend to be. So hush now little rat in the walls. Except this great, rewarding opportunity.”  
The blindfold came off and Sammy stared into the dark mawlike abyss of the giant pipe of the ink machine. Ink poured down. Sammy screamed. Screamed till his lungs were hoarse. Screamed till they were muffled. Screamed till they were silenced.  
Joey’s face betrayed no emotions until he smiled and muttered to himself,”ah if only to be perfect as they.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 4 descend down into the dark to see what needs to be seen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this longer chapter will make up for the shorter ones I have made previously

The four went about business as normal. Well as normal as they can when a sinister secret awaits telling. It is hard not just for the secret receivers but the secret givers as well. Nothing of note happened besides the small little, eensy weensy little thing of Sammy mysteriously vanishing. No one could trace where he went. It was like he vanished. Or got devoured.

The four went through their tasks and got to the end of the day. Lacie worked with the main power, Norman with the screens, Tom with the pipes, and Shawn with the dolls Lacie was out first and ran quickly behind the building to wait for the others. She didn’t have to wait long. The other three came barreling out not ten minutes later after they found out there were rats in their hats.

“So. What’re we see’n?” asked Shawn loudly, his typical mannerisms bleeding into this secret conversation.  
“SHHH! Do you want the entire block to hear what’s going on? No? Then zip it for now. I promise it will all make sense. We need to review the plan again?”  
“Wouldn’t hurt.” Infered Tom.  
“ Alright. We go in and i show you what needs to be seen. Simple enough for you to understand Shawn?”  
“ Yeah, one question though. How’re we getting in?”  
“ Got it covered.” She held up a ring of keys.  
Tom gasped. “ Holy shit. That’s Wally’s keys. I thought he lost those 3 years ago, at least.”  
Lacie Smiled. “Let’s do this.”  
“ Lead the way” the trio said

 

Once inside, the four found that the studio became much more creepy after closing time. Shadows clinged to every surface, long and abbysal shadows that seemed that if you walked in them you would vanish forever. Norman had the keenest eyes of the bunch, so he was the only one to see the spot of darkness in the back left corner of the hallway to the machine, that looked back. Norman was obviously shook and stood there, dumbfounded at this new staring contest they seemed to be having.  
“Hey, Norman!” called Shawn, “ You coming? What’s with the hold up?”  
Norman shook out of his daze. “Comin, comin.”  
Something shifted in the inky darkness, watching. Waiting.

Lacie came to the elevator and beckoned them inside. They crammed in and descended, down down down. As they reached the bottom and stepped out Lacie rushed to the wall with the levers. She pulled one and waited. And waited and waited. Nothing  
Tom cleared his throat. Wrong lever. That one makes coffee.”  
Lacie grumbled and pulled a second lever two feet from the coffee machine. The Spider’s doors opened up. They tiptoed inside and turned the lights on. In the center was the park ride.  
Lacie approached and softly called out, “Bertrum? Bertrum?” The three looked at each other then at her, fearing for her mental well being.  
“Bertie?”  
The lights on the ride came on in a flash and it spun and warmed up.  
“GGGRRRRRAAAAAHHHHHH”, it screamed. “IT BUUUUUUURRRRRRRNNNNSSSS”  
“ Bertrum calm down. I’m here. I even brought friends.”  
“But I told you to not come back. Why did you…”  
“Because i won’t abandon you.”  
He got a good look at the people behind her, obviously frightened.  
“Wait. You brought HIS LOT! His underlings. His moles? I thought you were helping me on this!”  
“ I am. They aren't with joey anymore. And surely you can remember them?”  
She grabbed Shawn.” Look it’s Shawn. He helped you make prizes for the games.”  
She yanked Norman forward.” And Norman, who helped make your commercials?”  
Tom was nabbed last. “And Tom who helped keep everything in tip top shape. Remember?”

Bertrum studied them for a moment. His eyes lit up as bright as the light on his arms.  
“My Friends!Hahahahaha! My friends!!”

“Oh my. Such a happy reunion. It’s almost bringing me to tears.” A voice said on the speakers.  
“Almost… But not quite. My dear friends you are intruding on my plans and property. So i’m afraid a few little experiments will have to deal with you. I’m highly dissapointed by my three loyal workers but they chose this path. So you cannot tun. You cannot hide. The searchers will find you.Goodbye.” The voice went dead and they heard plopping, closing in all around.  
Bertrum lowered his arms and yelled, “Get In! Buckle up and hold on tight! This is going to be one hell of a ride!!”


	7. Chapter7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The searcher approach the battle is fought  
> a surprise appears let's see what the devil wrought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter I will be going on short hiatus while i work on the rest of the story and school. Thank you for your patience and understanding

It was a wild ride, as predicted. As the four scrambled into each car, the searchers continued to surge forward. They were hideous amalgamations of man and ink. They looked vaguely humanoid. The bottom half sunk into moving puddles on the floor. Their bodies were entirely cased in ink. Soulless eyes pierced the hearts souls and minds of the pursued ones. They “walked” more like an animal than a human, with arms on the ground, hunched over. One, however, seemed to be their leader. It was a particularly plump searcher that was near indistinguishable from the others, save for one key detail.  
A Yellow Hat.  
“Wait a second! That’s Jack’s hat!” Tom yelled.  
“ So that’s what happened to Jack?” Shawn cried “That can’t be right!”  
“Really?” Bertrum rolled his eyes. “ That can’t but i can? Please!”  
The searchers and Jack continued to approach as Bertrum lifted his arms out of danger.  
“Hold on tight!”  
He began spinning as fast as he was allowed, knocking away nearby searchers. He then used Tom’s car to smash upon three more.  
Jack continued to summon more from the puddles out of range of Bertrum’s arms. “That one’s summoning more!” Norman yelled, “If we get him, the others will stop coming!”   
Lacie looked around the spinning room and saw an advantage. Jack had foolishly positioned beneath a large metal shelf where a crate full of tools precariously teetered on the edge.  
“Bertrum I need you to stop when i say so, got it?”  
“ Fine just say the word.”  
“ NOW!”  
He stopped. The force sent everyone flying forward in their carts including a wrench lacie had held onto. The wrench sailed into the crate. It tilted and fell, crushing Jack with a demonized, hate-filled scream. Jack vanished beneath the crate as wrenches pipes and other tools scattered on the ground. The searchers all halted at the demise of their leader. They stared at the humans, machine and their old leader. One by one, the searchers sank back into the puddles. The room was silent save for the panting of the heroes.  
“Well…” gasped Tom, “That was an experience.”  
“ Yeah. Let’s do it again!” yelled Shawn.  
“No!” was the unanimous reply.   
The light hearted moment of respite was interrupted by the loudspeakers turning on.  
“Hm. So the searchers didn’t kill you. That’s a slight bother. However, you are all quite foolish to not watch all of the searchers. They have sealed the exits to the studio. They have hidden four keys. One for each of you. On each floor. One person per floor, or i will kill you. Horribly. If you somehow find all the keys I will let you leave this place. And to sweeten the deal and make it more fair for you four. Good luck.”  
Bertrum stopped moving and creaking. He attempted to speak,”Wai-” but his door shut and he shut down. Slowly the top of the ride spun and flew off like a cork. From within a little table rose forth. Upon this table sat a humanoid, drenched in ink. Besides the ink there were four steamwork styled mechanical arms resting on its back. The table moved to the ground and dumped the ink to the floor. The identity of this figure made Lacie's eyes light up despite their current situation. It was Bertrum. He was almost the way he was, save a few minor differences. He was taller and thinner, particularly in the arms and legs. The arms on his back dripped with ink from the joints and his eyes, once a beautiful hazel, now were black as midnight. His coat was surprisingly not drenched but did have that tan color, like old planks of wood.  
“Bertrum!” she cried as she charged him giving him a hug with such intense strength a bear somewhere in the world blushed at it.  
“Lacie! I don’t know why Joey is being kind now but i’m free. We can be free!”  
“Wait just a second Bertie.” The voice said “ First save that mushy stuff for when i’m not watching.Ecch. And second you are not free. If you do not escape by the time the sun rises you will all die. Understood?”  
Hateful silence swept the room.  
“Good. Now then onto the elevator. The trials await.”


	8. Time is Money, Money is Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry i underestimated how fast i could type and get these out. The hiatus is being postponed until winter break ends.

The five crowded into the elevator waiting for their trials. Once on the contraption, they plummeted, down into the depths of the studio. They arrived at the film vault.  
“Norman. This is your stop.” Norman gave a quiet nod and a long look at his comrades. He somberly vanished into the darkness.

Norman wandered and searched for this key within this dark film vault. The isolation made the darkness even more enveloping and blinding. He couldn't see two inches in front of his eyes. He could hear well enough. What he heard however was chanting almost like a poem:  
“Time is Money.  
Money is Time.  
We see only darkness  
But never hear the wind chime.  
We have waited  
Here alone  
Only wanted  
To return home  
I lost my body to the ink  
I found it hard   
To speak or think  
I listened and i waited  
For others  
They did come and   
Became my sisters and brothers  
They were taken from me far to soon  
I thought for sure i was doomed  
Jack made me more of my kind  
Eventually beginning to corrupt my mind  
All searchers are linked to me  
Only wanting him to set us free  
To feel the wind   
And feel the sunshine.  
Because time is money  
And money is time  
The voice was garbled, quiet, and incredibly sad. It sounded like someone thinking their last thoughts on a building.  
Norman, more scared of this voice than anything else, continued forward to the center of the vault, because if Norman knew anything about Joey, he would highlight the center of the center of the heart of the vault.   
The core’s door hung open, the darkness inside almost beckoning him inside. Within the center of the center sat something near indescribable. It was a tree like structure made entirely out of hardened ink, except for the tips which would drip ink down, squirming like leeches wherever they land. The tree itself looked...lovecraftian.  
It was pitch black, but it jutted out and dented in at strange angles and spaces. The trunk was barren for all but the face. It was two eyes and a mouth, each slapped onto a different part of the tree, as if one did not care where they were placed. It kept chanting that poem: “Time is money, Money is Time” until it saw Norman.  
It coughed and weezed out words, “ Hello Norman. Please come closer to your old friend.”  
The voice of this thing seemed to have a hypnotic hold on Norman as he approached. Right behind him however, the leeches began an advance.  
“Welcome old friend. To my humble abode. Remember me?” It said. “ Grant the money man?”  
“ oh my god you were the first one to vanish.”  
“That’s right, the experiment failed and i became stuck here. A giver of life. But now after months of waiting you can join us and our brothers and sisters.”  
The leeches became more aggressive, attatching themselves to Norman. Ceasing his movements. Ink coated him over his paralyzed body.   
And the world went dark.


	9. Sent from above... To Puppeteer Those Below

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shawn's turn. Guess who's going to heaven?

The four were left in the elevator saddened by the loss of even one of their parties. They ascended upwards to floor number three. The Heavenly Toys Workshop.  
“ Shawn, never thought i’d say this, but you’re going to heaven! Say hello to the angels for me.”  
Joey announced.  
Shawn shook his head and did something sensible for once. He grabbed an axe of the wall and slung it over his shoulder. He turned to the group and said, “ Y’know, we should grab a pint after all this. Don’t worry though. I’ll pay for ‘em.” He smiled and walked back into the darkness.

The Heavenly Toys workshop was a place that Shawn knew like the back of his hand. After all he had worked there for a year and a half. The floorboards creaked below his feet and strangely, above his head. He wandered to his office, more a desk in an enclosed space then an office, as it was hidden behind a shelf, beside the conveyor belt.  
The conveyor belt continued the monotonous cycle it had been designed to, making the toys seem to be marching like soldiers off to war. He continued to hear the footsteps above, pairing nicely with the toy’s own military march. Then he heard knocking up above.  
Knock.  
Knock  
Smash.  
That part of the roof caved in and from it came a head. It was a cartoonish head, obviously from a sailor of some kind. The head did not however fall to the ground. It instead remained in the air, hoisted by a small string. Shawn panicked and swung his axe wildly, hitting the head but missing the string. When the rest of the body tumbled through the hole, Shawn panicked and ran all the way to the bathroom and locked himself inside, as is customary when one is about to soil themselves. Two creatures stood outside the door waiting. A fist punched through the door catching Shawn in the jaw, rattling his teeth and knocking him out cold.  
When Shawn awoke, he was strapped to a chair with a nozzle above his head. He heard humming as heels clacked on the hardwood floors. The humming continued until she emerged from the shadows holding Shawn’s axe.  
One look told Shawn that she was a wily two faced one. Quite literally. One side of her face was that of a beautiful woman with dark hair fair skin, and lovely eye. The other however… Demonic was the only word that could be used for it. It’s jaw hung open revealing her surprisingly normal looking teeth. The eye was lifeless and sunken and stared right into Shawn’s very soul. She had devil horns on her “bad” side and a lopsided halo on her “good” side. Then she spoke.

“ What is this you have found my pets?” The voice was mixed, as if two people were forced to share a body. “ One with the audacity to intrude on holy ground while dragging the putrid stench of humanity here. We can’t have that can we my pets?”  
“Wait!” Shawn yelled  
“What is it, sinner. What do you have to say before i give the honor of ascending?”  
“You’re Susie, aren’t you?”  
At that, she marched right up to Shawn and slapped him across the face.  
“Don’t you dare compare me to what she was! She was weak! I made here strong! I am Alice Angel! Pull the lever my pets and have him join me!”  
With their combined strength, Striker and Fisher pulled the lever, and Shawn vanished, like so many others, into the ink.


	10. Sheep Songs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom's turn to face the music

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience. Chapters are going to be arriving a lot slower now considering school exists.  
> Thank you for understanding

And then there were three. One floor up the studio, higher than even heaven, was the place where the music flowed freely, and the songs were flung about, and happiness was bound to be.  
And thus the elevator halted, grinding sharply against the walls, splitting the ears of the few remaining.  
“ Tom! You never learned to sing or even carry a tune did you?” Joey blared out. “ Well worry not friend, i got someone to tickle your throat and have you sing a different tune!”  
Tom growled at the speaker and tromped out, ready to beat any who still worked for this Drew. No matter what trials were thrown his way, he would, as everyone else probably did, find that key and, how’d Wally put it?  
“I’m tellin ya, Sammy, I know you’re new down here but that’s not how things work! You can’t summon him. He comes and goes as he pleases. Listen, if you don’t start listenin’ to what I have to say, I’m Outta Here!”  
A can of soup fell to the ground and rolled to the foot of the talkers, due to Tom’s naturally broad shoulders.  
Silence followed. Then Wally piped up.  
“Yeesh, who’s in charge of clean up here? Was it you, Steve, who left the soup out? Pick that up or so help me i’ll… I’ll… I’ll think of something later. Just do it.”  
A plopping sound could be heard from the creature apparently named Steve, but it was unlike the searchers. This time it felt like footsteps as opposed to just melting ooze.  
Tom ducked behind the shelf, and peeked out at the creature. It looked like a searcher but closer to humanity. It walked upright on two legs, if a little slouched, but it’s biggest feature was the eyes. Not just hollow sockets, but bright orange eyes filled with souls. The eyes scanned the room, can in hand, until it found a shelf. The same shelf that Tom hid behind.  
It came eye to eye with the mechanic, one set of bright, hearth like eyes stared into the muddy brown eyes.  
All was still.  
All was calm.  
Then Steve screamed.  
Immediately a commotion started. The other humanoid searchers came scrambling, unarmed fists at the ready, when tom flipped the shelf. It fell crushing a good number and tripping the rest, Just over the wailing, Wally could be heard shouting,” What in blazes?! Ya know what forget this. I’m outta he-AAAUUUGGGHHH”  
“Goin somewhere? Not anymore, little sheep.”  
Tom sprinted away, down the stairs, around the turns just trying to get away. He felt a blunt force on the top of his head and everything went black.

Tom awoke tied to a stake, looking at something not very pleasant. An inky human searcher, much like Steve, donned a Bendy mask.  
“Hello, my little sheep. I am Sammy your own personal Shepard for the lord’s Sheep. That’s what you are. A sheep. The lord has requested me do some thing to you. Tom notes the axe in Sammy’s hands.  
“Oh no, not hurt you.” Sammy leaned the axe against a wall. “Just a little something. Give you new life.”  
Tom’s eyes widened as he struggled.  
“No no. It’s nice and tight so sheep can’t wander. Goodbye and hello old and new friend.”  
Sammy went inside the sideroom and began a solemn prayer to his lord.  
“Please allow this tender sheep, to grow and evolve into the fearsome wolf per your orders. Let the ink consume him.”  
The door directly in front of him opened wide revealing a wall of ink that flooded the room, Tom could feel himself dying. But as life left his body, New life came in.


	11. A Colossal Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now is Bertrum and Lacie.   
> Who knows what other trial awaits them, or if it's friend or foe?

The elevator, though at this point more a doorway to new unknown nightmares, plummeted back down. Past the music halls where the jolly songs play, past the workshop where toys have the say. Right back to where it all started. Bendyland.  
“And I find it only fitting that the last two be left to wander their own creation. See the path that lead them where they are. Good luck in this Colossal Wonder!” The speaker grew silent for the last time.  
Lacie gulped audibly as Bertrum understandably looked infuriated with Drew for putting him in this situation. He cleared his throat, and gestured his many arms to the door.  
“Ladies first.” He said, as if holding the door for her in a restaurant as opposed to racing against the clock for survival.  
“Alright go ahead.” She teased, picking up on his formal tone. He sighed in response to this and stepped out, stretching out his mechanical arms in all directions after being stuck in a cramped elevator. Lacie looked upon the curious and softly giggled, almost like she was a child and not in any actual danger of death by god knows what.   
The stale air hung thick after about ten minutes of searching for the key, Hope was beginning to be lost.  
“We’ve checked everywhere! Every ride, game, trial, test, machine, Everything! Lacie, I just want to go home.”  
“We can’t lose hope, Bertie. We all want to get home. And we will. We just need to think in the mind of Joey. Wait, here. I found something you might enjoy to see again.” She did her best to sound reassuring to this man who was going through so much.  
Lacie scrambled to her desk in R and D and reached for the object in the back of it’s drawer, folded in case a moment of reflection and memory was needed. She walked back to him, holding the one thing he was missing.  
“My… My Hat.”  
“Yep. The hat you always wore when you needed to think straight. So think. Think those thoughts with that big brain of yours. You can do it!”  
“Wait I’ve got something. There is only one place Joey could have hidden it.”  
He glanced at the haunted house. “Most likely in there”  
Lacie took a deep breath. “Well to the fright and fight then.”  
The door to the house creaked open. “Indeed.”  
They entered this realm of terror, but also a land of pure imagination. They traveled through the halls of the house, eyes peeled for any key, until they reach the dining room in the center.  
In the center of the center, sat a voice recording.  
“Welcome.” A familiar voice of a murderer sounded from it. “ To my world of wonder.I can remember now why I chose to hire Bertrum. Look around. It’s amazing, what a man of passion and dreams can do. I should know myself. I managed to craft a wondrous creation, one that changed the course of entertainment. One that spurred this whole place. Lifted it up above the likes of fleischer and disney.Behold my being. Behold my heart. Behold my soul. Behold Bendy!!!”

The walls suddenly began overflowing with ink, intertwining with one another, like snakes and veins. The door directly in front of them shuddered and shook. Then, with a crash of extreme volume, it flew off its hinges into the wall opposite. There towering menacingly within the darkness, almost fading in and out of it, stood Bendy. Joey’s pride and joy. The apple to his eye.  
The ink demon, now looking more fitting to that name than ever, lumbered towards the two, light barely visible from behind the ink that poured down his face. Bertrum rushed in front of Lacie, in an attempt to protect her. He even was able to get in slashes with his arms. But it was all in vain. The demon paused. It processed Bertrum’s pattern. Then, when the opening was just right, Bendy grabbed him by the coat and threw him like a paper doll. Bertrum crashed into a stack of crates near the door Bendy emerged from. Bendy continued down the way to Lacie. The light not leaving his eyes.  
“This is it, This where i die huh? Well it was a good run.” Her thoughts were strangely calm in the face of certain death. But Bendy did something strange. He knelled down to Lacie’s level, and brushed her hair out of her face. He then laid his hand flat on her forehead. She felt a strange tingly nauseous feeling.  
Then the world dimmed to darkness.


	12. Visions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A vision of the past is shown. Memories. And hope.

Lacie awoke in the darkness in the last place she truly wanted to be. Joey’s office. Only, she wasn’t there, yet she was. She felt she was watching whatever was happening through the eyes of someone else rather than herself.  
“Joey,” a voice called out. A male voice. One with a lighter tone. Henry’s voice. “What do you think about this little devil darling? Made im myself.”  
“ Oh my god Henry! You’re a genius! This’ll make us rise up. Me and you’re going to bring this character to life. Er.. metaphorically of course.”  
A blinding flash of light made Lacie squint. A new scene unfolded before her very eyes.  
Grant was sitting in the office, a nervous look plastered on his face as a convicted man awaiting his sentence. “ Well Grant i’m sorry to say that you’re fired as our financial adviser but you can continue to work here. Under one small condition, which Henry here has helped me create.”  
Joey pulled a lever and the floor beneath Grant slowly creaked open. Grant panicked and ran to Joey for protection. But Joey held Grant over the crater.  
“Let your trial begin”  
A flash of light came again.  
This time it showed jack being forced in while his hat fell to the ground, only to be picked up and tossed in as well.  
Flash  
Now it showed Susie being invited up to the platform over the machine. Joey does his best to grab her rear. She noticed and slapped. He slapped back, sending her over the edge.  
Flash  
“Joey this isn’t OK. I’m done with this I quit.”  
“You can’t quit now, just when we are this close!”   
“Yes i can because I have”  
Joey grabs some coffee and throws it into Henry’s eyes. While scraping the coffee from his eyes, Joey tackles him sending him just over the edge of the platform to join the victims. Lacie saw a familiar darkness. Then with several final flashes it showed Norman, then a light as words echo “he will light the way. It showed Shawn, and a demonic monkey with words saying “he will lead the way”, and Tom, with cybernetic limbs, while words said, “ he will keep us on the path”  
A final flash of light showed her and Bertrum with the words, “You must set them free.”

Lacie awoke. Any sign of the ink demon was gone. She gathered her thoughts and ran to the crates where Bertrum laid.  
“Bertrum! Bertrum, wake up!”  
He shot awake at once, “What is wrong, besides the obvious?”  
“Joey has them. And we must help them. But I think…” She gazed at the open door from which Bendy came, “We might have an ally."


	13. Betrayal punished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally ran, filled with hope  
> He drowned filled with despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh.. This one is going to be sad. Heads up

Joey stood on the platform as he was prone to do, but this time he looked over his now vast army. From the searchers formed by Grant to be summoned by Jack, to Fisher and Striker ready to be lead when the time is right. To the the Angel of Sin who stood to his right. A door slowly opened leading to his office, and Sammy strolled in dragging behind him, but a beaten near unconscious Wally.   
“Joey, I found him trying to escape. What do you decree we do with him?”  
“ Well… He does know too much to be set free. Bribery? No that barely worked to get him to join me at first when he was willing… Aha! I know! Toss him in.”  
“Joey... “ gasped Wally “ Please! I helped you I stayed quiet. I didn’t tell no one and this is the thanks i get?! I just want to go home! See Rachel! Please!”  
“Enough, Wally. This was your last chance. I told you last time, ‘Try that again and I will not be responsible for what comes next’. So now I can’t be held accountable. You made the choice to try and leave without permission and this is what you get. Toodleloo!”  
Wally was dragged, kicking and screaming and pleading, up to the machine right to the mouth of it.   
“Joey, Please!” Tears were forming in Wally’s desperate eyes.” Isn’t there anything that you care about? That you want to go back home to see?”  
“Yes, there is” Joey’s eyes got soft as Wally was hanging suspended only by Sammy’s arm over the Abyss. Joey’s eyes hardened again.  
“My work”  
Wally was thrown off like so many others he had known and even seen get thrown. Despair grasped his heart as the ink devoured him, like a beggar with a piece of bread. His final thoughts showed him a beautiful, red haired woman, waiting for him back home.  
“ I never even got to ask.” he tearfully moaned. “I’m sorry Rachel. My fiance. I’m sorry, my little sheep.”  
His desperate cry of despair, filled with the thoughts of a life he could have had, echoed throughout the studio. Even Grant all the way at the bottom was able to hear it, and in his own despair, he wept. Everything wept. Jack wept, Lacie wept, Bertrum wept, the searchers wept the Butcher gang wept, Even Sammy and Susie, lost in their own madness, felt a tear roll down their cheek. But Joey did not weep. He looked at his army again, and smiled his wicked smile.  
“ I don’t have time for sentiments like his. Only dreams. MY DREAMS!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did look it up. Rachel means " Little Sheep


	14. Plan in motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan Is set into motion, an insane crazy plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohh we're reaching the ending. No clue how long i can keep this story going but woo!

The sounds of a grown man’s desperate cries travel far. Very far. So far in fact that the cries reached the ears of two people who actually cared. Lacie and Bertrum were in the center of this deathtrap that probably didn’t go to Joey’s plan as they tried to come up with one of their own.  
“ Well, maybe we could… say, find others like me?” Bertrum suggested  
“ Yeah, and then we’ll find searchers and convince them to go to tea time, huh? Maybe we could bring Joey.”  
“Well do you have any other ideas, because if so i’m all ears.”  
“ No not really. But we have one thing on our side in the form of Bendy. Maybe he could help us.”  
“So, we could try finding others like him and me. Strength in numbers, Lacie. Always important."  
“Yeah except when those numbers begin to go against you cause they were never on your side.”  
“Hmm… Wait i got something! We need to lure them here! But first we need my tools. Get the animatronic, and any scrap you can find in here. This is going to be big.”  
Joey sat in his office, checking his watch. It was about 3:27 in the morning, where now the terrible flaw of humans known as weariness began to take its toll. It was dispelled almost immediately as a huge crash resounded through the hall. In the center of the door, 4 new holes with metal limbs protruding from the door, appeared. The door was easily yanked off its hinges. Door still attached to his limbs Bertrum strided into the office like he owned the place. Lacie, noticeably more nervous about this plan, sneaking in behind while carrying a small briefcase like package as Bertrum soaked in the attention.  
Weariness left Joey almost at once. “Bertrum! I’m amazed to see you again. I thought you would be dead, after my little present. How has your new existence been? You don't need sleep, eat or drink or even breathe. How’s it feel?”  
“Like shit Joey. I don’t truly appreciate it. But I am willing to forgive you if you reverse this little hiccup.” Bertrum seemed to be gritting his teeth while saying these words.  
“ Hahahahahahahaha… Bertrum. You know i can’t do that.I made you perfect. Inhuman, without need of anything. You are ageless. Immortal. Why don’t you want that?”  
“Answer me first. Where are the keys? We ran out of time.”  
“Well there’s your problem. I’m going to tell you a little secret. There was no keys.” Joey smiled wickedly. “ I made it up. The door was even unlocked.”  
Bertrum seethed behind his face of calmness.  
“Now i’ll tell you my answer your question. I don’t want to be immortal,because i want to be human. I want to feel. I want to live. I want to love. And i don’t want to serve you. Luckily i made almost life to show you how strongly i feel about this. NOW LACIE!!!”  
Lacie threw the briefcase at Joey’s desk, landing right on top. The bag opened and unfolded, showing a being made to be entertaining. A carbon copy of something Joey holds dear. The Bendy animatronic.  
It roared in Joey’s face and raised a hand to strike. He yelped and sprinted to the machine. The animatronic attempted to go for The nearest being to it. Susie. It smashed the ground around Susie. The searchers and butcher gang surged forth, to defend Susie.  
Joey grabbed a controller from his pocket and pressed 4 buttons. From 4 different crates, 4 different beings emerged. First was a demon monkey wielding a wrench wearing a hat, a familiar hat. Shawn’s hat. Second was a Boris the wolf clone, but instead of normal arms there was a robotic arm with a pipe in it. Engraved upon his arm was the word “Tom”. Third was a tall humanoid. But it’s head was replaced with a projector. Norman’s job. Finally was another Boris, but this one was huge and hulking, with a cage around it’s head. It’s eyes were streaked with tears, and in it’s overall pocket sat a picture that showed a picture of a redhead signed “Rachel”  
“Get them!! Now go go go!” Joey yelled.  
Bertrum grabbed Lacie and scrambled to the door.  
Sammy charged with speed unknown to all, even Sammy himself, wielding an axe. He cornered them in a hallway. “Well, you refuse to become immortal, so i will drag you down to hell. He raised his axe, ready for the final blow, but stopped midway, not by choice but by force. Sammy ripped the axe from the force, but found the blade gone. He slowly turned to face a giant ink demon.  
“M-Milord! What are you- ARRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!”  
The man was torn from the ground and had his neck painfully, sickeningly loudly snapped.  
“Thanks Bendy” Lacie said, “We owe ya. He’ll be fine right? Like we didn’t just murder this poor man who was normal yesterday?”  
The Demon nodded. And shooed them away to their plan. He stood his ground, ready to buy time.


	15. Bendy Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan begins without a hitch. Now comes phase two. Divide Joey from his army and conquer. Along the way Lacie will discover something that will change the tide of this war of survival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, got to say, never expected this story to go even this far. Thank you so much for your supports and criticisms. And just for reading this. There are still a few more chapters in the brew, don't worry. But seriously, thanks.

Sprinting down the halls, Bertrum and Lacie heard the sounds of intense battle behind them. All ending with a deafening roar. Then silence, showing that they had run out of the time Bendy had bought them.  
“Shit! Keep going! We have to make it to Bendyland! Otherwise Bendy’s help will mean nothing!” Bertrum screamed, dragging Lacie behind him. The searchers began to swarm behind them, almost nipping at their heels. The two crammed into the elevator. As the doors closed A searcher squeezed through as the rest piled on the door. Bertrum disposed of it with one quick slice to the head. The body sank into an ink puddle, which both people in the elevator took note of and kept their distance. The elevator stopped with a small *ding* to open and reveal Bendyland.   
“Bertrum, you know if this is actually going to work?”  
“Lacie I’ll be frank with you. No. I have no clue if this will work and is kind of hinging on Joey being stupid and overconfident.”  
“So this hinges on Joey acting like Joey.”  
“Exactly”

“AFTER THEM” Joey screamed into the loud speakers. “ARM YOURSELVES, GO AFTER THEM, STRIKE THEM DOWN, BRING ME THEIR HEADS!!!!” Joey was screaming himself hoarse. The searches, butchers, and new abominations made not ten minutes ago, grabbed pipes, wrenches, hammers, planks, anything the could get a hold of. One searcher even grabbed a Syringe from Susie's lab at one point. They flooded down the stairs, through the elevator, from the ground, into Bendyland.  
It was completely silent. The air hung thick like smoke. Then from the top speakers came a voice. The voice of Bertrum.  
“Welcome, you poor misguided unfortunate souls and abominations of life. Welcome to my world. Welcome to my paradise.” A faint turning of machinery was heard. “Welcome to Bendy Hell.” With that several things happened at once. The searches charged at where the voice was coming from. The voice recording exploded, leaving several gone without a trace and many others just blobs on the floor. The weapons, including the syringe, fell to the ground. Lacie charged forward in a bumper car knocking Susie out of formation.  
“Protect me my pets!” She screamed as re adjusting her jaw. “Protect your angel!!”  
The Butcher Gang, Piper included, charged at Lacie, overturning the noble bumper car, She quickly got back up and used a wrench to start fighting back against the three. The other forces were distracted, due to the spider like entity known as Bertrum kept scattering their number like children. The Butcher Gang however was faring much better, and forced Lacie back to where so many searchers had fallen. The Piper made a swift swing, knocking her back and knocking the wrench from her hands. She groped about until she came across the first weapon that she could find. The Syringe.  
Lacie jammed that thing into piper’s neck and it screamed. It grasped at it trying to pull it out, but it was all in vain. The thing layed on the ground pulsating in such a matter that even the other two butcher gang members backed away. Eventually the details on Piper faded to darkness, until all that was left was a giant ball of ink, which sank into the ground. With the ink gone the true form of the being appeared. Piper was no more, and in his place layed Shawn.


	16. Cure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Climax Town!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of the story. There will be one more chapter, but it'll be something different

Things were not going to Bertrum’s masterful plan. The actual machines hadn’t gone off except the recording to thin the ranks, and even then the searcher’s were being re-summoned by that Jack fellow in the back. Lacie knocking down Susie distracted the Butcher gang for a time, but Bertrum didn’t know how long that would work. The inky forces continued to surge forth, while Bertrum did his best to slice them down. The searchers continued to go forward, even landing a few blows on Bertrum himself.  
“Why aren't they activating?” he gasped, “ Where is my machinery?”  
“YES!!” the speakers yelled, “CONTINUE SURGING FORWARD! GO MY BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS! PROJECTIONIST,TOM, BRUTE BORIS! KILL THE IMPERFECTIONS!”  
“Shut up Joey, you sack of shit! Your ‘perfections’ are nothing more than proof of your sins!”  
“Not for long!” a new voice said. A familiar voice. An Irish voice. “Cause we’re destroying everything you are working towards!” The enemy lines started to fall away, one from the shout, and two from the fact that the very summoner fell unconscious. Shawn stood over the knocked out Jack holding a pipe. “You want backup, Bertrum? Well I’m here to help, more are on the way thanks to Lacie!”  
“Lacie!?”   
“Yep, that’s right Bertie” Lacie shouted over the noises of battle as two beings stood beside her, an actor and artist, Mark and Felix accordingly. “ Find syringes Bertrum! That’ll destroy searchers and fix others! I’ll find them, Shawn, Mark, and Felix, help Bertrum. I’ll be back!”  
“ My god, I love that woman.” Bertrum breathed  
“What was that, Bertie?” Lacie called back, smile on her face  
“Nothing!” Bertrum went Beet red but tried playing it off as he was exhausted from the battle.  
Bertrum, Shawn, Mark, and Felix stood shoulder to shoulder, weapons and arms drawn awaiting the next charge of the searchers. But the charge seemed to be coming from the back, scattering the searchers. It was the more Brutish Boris. It stood before the 4 and roared. It charged forward and scattered the line, it isolated Bertrum from the others. It stood there menacingly as searchers crowded around as if watching an underground dogfight, which was pretty accurate save the fact that Bertrum wasn’t a dog. The Abomination swung it’s huge, beefy arms with incredible speed as Bertrum dodged but didn’t truly harm Boris. Maybe a slash here and there, but not enough to really hurt the beast. Shawn, Mark and Felix however, were doing a lot of hurting. To the crowd. The three were completely mowing through the crowd, now that Jack was gone. Lacie came back holding about 6 syringes and tossed them back to The 4. The trio each grabbed one and Bertrum grabbed 2. Quick as a wink Bertrum injected the syringe into the Brute Boris and watched as the searchers all just backed away slowly. The Boris shook and shaked until it was Boris no more, but Wally, Still clutching the picture of Rachel. The Projectionist saw this and charged forward, but was suddenly stopped by a large claw that yanked him back. The projectionist used his light to see who had done this, but the demon was not happy with that. Projectionist was held down as Bertrum used his other syringe on it. And not ten seconds late, there sat Norman instead. Mark and Felix aimed at the angel in a little competition on who beat their tormentor first. Mark got the first shot, but Felix bumped his arm to go awry into Tom. Felix took advantage of this and threw his syringe like a dart, and struck Susie right in her chest. She collapsed as the ink fell away, revealing who she used to be. Shawn, although on the side of Bertrum, panicked at the sight of a huge demon and threw the syringe at it. It let out a hellish roar and laid on top of Norman’s unconscious body. The ink faded away, and a man in his late 40s to early 50s was there. Lacie saw this and quickly shoved a syringe into the still unconscious Jack, turning him from inky monstrosity to modest lyric writer. Norman awoke and had everything explained to him and Lacie tossed him a syringe. “ We got everyone up here. Why don’t you save the ones below.”  
Norman nodded and went to find where Grant was. When he did, he rushed forward, faster than any Leech or searcher, and shoved it into the tree. It screamed in pain as it’s Ink melted away. The searchers and leeches, not just down below, but all of them, froze, and shattered. Sitting in the ink, was Grant, the first to go away and second to last that came back. Norman came back up, supporting Grant on his shoulders and a Huge celebration was had. Tearful reunions were had and all was happy. Lacie had two Syringes left. She handed one to Bertrum, and took the rest as she walked up the stairs. Back to the hallway. She stood over the last, inky corpse. The one of Sammy Lawrence. It was starting to heal and reform, and as Lacie, injected the syringe into his heart, she swears she could hear a small sigh.  
The celebration went silent as Lacie came back down, behind her being Sammy. The celebration got louder. Bertrum,now reformed to his normal self, rushed up to her, tears in his eyes.  
“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.” and using his small stature, he rose to a challenge he thought of in his mind, and kissed her. Lacie was surprised but accepted it. The others whooped and hollered excited just to be alive and breathing. Even Steve was fine, as he slurped from a can of bacon soup, watching the festivities.  
“ Now then, I’ve gotten my confidence boost,” Bertrum beamed with delight. But his eyes hardened once more. “So, we’ve got one last thing to do before this nightmare is over.”  
He marched up the stairs and everyone followed.  
Joey Drew was completely frantic, trying to pack his things and leave the minute his cameras showed what had happened and who was coming for him. He rushed up to the platform, where so many people had met their fates. Then he turned and saw them. And Bertrum sprinted to him, slamming him on the ground.  
“So Mr.Drew How’s life for you now? Everything has fallen apart. You’ve been dealt a losing hand. Your ‘perfection’ creatures are no more. How’s that Mr.Drew? You might have thought we were goners when you sent those horrors after us. But guess what? They might be gone, but WE’RE STILL HERE, MR.DREW!” Bertrum held Joey over the vat of ink, as joey had done for so many others, while Lacie moved to the power lever.  
“Oh yeah, one last thing, Joey.”  
Bertrum leaned in close  
“ Long. Live. The. Fucking. King”  
Bertrum dropped the man into the ink and lacie hit the lever turning it off, shutting the vat’s upper door, Trapping Joey within.  
The two walked out into the silent crowd, who rejoiced to the end of the cruelty of Joey Drew, and Shawn piped up.  
“ Well I did promise a drink for all of us when we got out, but i think i’m outta money. Anyone got any to spare?”  
Everyone laughed. Everyone gazed at the beautiful sunrise. And knew for a fact that They would never work in that studio again.


	17. Where are they now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp, let's see what the gang's gotten up to shall we?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I never thought in a million years that this would be as popular as it is. I posted this as an experiment to see how people would react. But everyone who commented left me good things, and helped me by offering little suggestions and critiques that I endlessly appreciate. So really. Thank you all, who have read this, given it kudos, and helped this story grow into what it is now. I hope that this has been a good and fun ride for you all, for this is the last chapter.

But where are they now?  
Bertrum and Lacie were married and traveled back to England.The two lived happily for years. The two built plenty of parks and even a haunted animation studio. It was a huge success.  
Norman went on to be a famous movie producer and cameraman who became best known for his work in horror.  
Sean, Mark, and Felix went on to be comedians much like the three stooges, and got hugely popular especially in Brooklyn and Boston before going worldwide.  
Tom got a career as an engineer for several large plumbing plants. Eventually Tom was able to set up a grand business, and for reasons no one can understand, he always keeps an old can of soup on his desk.  
Wally did finally work up enough courage to ask Rachel to be his fiance. She accepted and the two lived happy for years to come. Wally never, in any of his jobs however wanted to be anything more than a janitor, something that his employers and fiance never could figure out.  
Sammy, Susie, and Jack, continued to work in the music business, eventually becoming some of the best music groups in the states, Sammy always writing with an old mask he remembers, Susie always singing, but occasionally the left side of the face would hurt, and Jack always writing lyrics with more than a few musing voices in his head.  
Grant, worked to an even older age with two things he loved, numbers and money, by working at a bank in England. He always seemed sad, and would spend hours staring at a small, potted, dead tree. However some said he died not only with a smile on his face, but that he died laughing.  
Allison actually went on to become a big Hollywood star, to the point where she even got to work with Norman on a few big blockbusters.  
Henry continued making cartoons, making his own studio, Known as Little Miracles Cartoons. He even reached out to Sammy, Susie, Jack, Norman, Sean, Mark, and Felix to help him make a new cartoon, this one with a little less, demonic, properties.  
Joey was never heard from again.  
Years of therapy followed each after those fateful nights. And in their heads they can still hear the dripping of ink, see nothing but darkness and madness in their dreams, and as they would slowly pass on to sleep, echoing through their minds, was Joey’s voice uttering the same line every night.  
“Ah… Perfection”


End file.
